


You've Stolen My Heart

by Untoward



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, Genderswap, Homophobic Language, Lesbians, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Sexism, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-07-28 23:53:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20072683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Untoward/pseuds/Untoward
Summary: Regina looked back over to the bar, where Brianna was leaning her elbow on the counter top, smiling at a man that was standing far too close for Regina’s liking. She knew why the man was trying it on with her, she looked fucking incredible tonight. Hell, she always did, but tonight more than ever.God, she looked ethereal.And she was far better than the man she was talking to.





	1. love of my life, you've hurt me

**Author's Note:**

> Kt_fairy wrote a John/Roger [fem au](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18519835/chapters/43891942) that made my lil bi heart go crazy. 
> 
> Tags will be added as the story goes on (don't want to spoil anything!) 
> 
> I have a writing tumblr [here!](https://untowardwrites.tumblr.com/) Please come and talking to me. 
> 
> Anyway, here we go!! Let's go, lesbians!!

_QUEEN II USA TOUR_

_20th April 1974_

_Memphis, Tennessee_

“Darling, you’re leering again.” Freddie said as he stretched out his arm towards her, a pint of lager in his hand.

Regina snapped out of her gaze at the sound of Freddie’s voice and turned her attention towards him. She sent him a glare, one that told him if he didn’t shut his mouth, she would snap at him. Freddie just raised his eyebrows in amusement at the look and glanced down at the pint in his hands. Regina accepted the lager and sat up, so she was no longer slouching on the ratty sofa. Freddie sat down next to her and took a drink of the beer in his hand.

They were in a dingy dive bar in Memphis and they had just finished their fifth show on the US tour. Even if they were just an opening act, they were happy with the reaction they were receiving and tonight had been a good gig. 

  


With the adrenaline still running through their bodies after the show and the giddiness they had at how well it went they had all happily agreed on a night out. Regina particularly wanted to explore the night life that the South had to offer, but she was far too distracted to enjoy her night. 

Regina looked back over to the bar, where Brianna was leaning her elbow on the counter top, smiling at a man that was standing far too close for Regina’s liking. She knew why the man was trying it on with her, she looked fucking incredible tonight. Hell, she always did, but tonight more than ever. 

Her brown curls were looser than usual, the sweat on she was getting from the bar making them go just past her shoulders. The black velour bell bottoms she was wearing made her long legs look even longer and slender than usual. She had a white button up that was tucked into her bottoms, and the top three buttons were undone, meaning she was showing a little bit of cleavage. 

God, she looked _ethereal_.

And she was far better than the man she was talking to, who couldn’t keep his eyes on her face for more than a few moments. Always glancing down at her chest, and yes, she could understand why, but it was still rather rude. She wanted to take her away and protect her from this man. That was all, there wasn’t anything more to it. What Freddie was suggesting was preposterous.

Her grip got tighter on her drink when the man made another glance at her chest, Regina’s knuckles going so white that Freddie placed his hand on hers to relax them. 

“Regina,” he said quietly, and she looked back him, her blue eyes wide “you need to relax.”

“I’m relaxed!” She said, a bit too loudly and too quickly for it to be convincing. She coughed awkwardly and took another big gulp from her drink, before setting it down on the table in front of her. “I just worry about her, she’s too nice for her own good, Fred. Anyone can take advantage of that.”

“Of course,” there was a smirk on Freddie face that said he didn’t believe her at all “is that the only reason you’ve been sending a glare to the man Brianna has been talking with this whole time?”

“I’m looking out for my best friend,” Regina said earnestly, “I don’t want anything bad to happen to her, just like I don’t want anything bad to happen to you or Deaky!” 

“You don’t send glares to the women Deaky talks to, or to the men I talk to,” he says cheekily “and also, she’s a lot less innocent then you make her out to be, I think she’s slept with more men on this tour than I have and we’re only on the fifth show!”

“Fred, don’t be so crude!” Regina says sharply “That’s our friend you’re talking about.” 

“Regina Taylor, telling _me_ not to be crude?” He said and gave out a genuine laugh. Regina just rolled her eyes at him. “You? Someone who makes sexual remarks every five minutes?” 

Regina can say nothing at that, because it was true. She would make remarks on all their sex lives, little teasing comments that had them all rolling their eyes. But tonight, she didn’t feel like it, she didn’t feel the need to playfully make fun of Brianna’s awkward attempts at flirting that always seemed to work somehow. She wanted to take her away, and she couldn’t place her finger on exactly why, maybe she just got a bad feeling from the guy.

“I know what’s going on here,” Freddie said with a knowing smirk. He went closer so he was next to Regina’s ear and whispered, “I think you’re jealous.” 

“Jealous!” Regina says and then let’s out an over exaggerated giggle “Me? Jealous? Of what?”

“Of the fact that you’re not the one over there, making Brianna laugh so much she keeps on putting her hand on your chest.” 

“I don’t like her like that, Fred.” Regina said, and she meant it. They all knew she wasn’t straight, she never explicitly told them, but she knew they had all connected the dots. Freddie lived with her, for God’s sake, he knew by amount of times she let Linda come back to her place. And if he didn’t know Regina had Linda over by their goodbyes in the morning, he knew by how Regina would make her scream during the night. Once, Linda has been particularly loud and when she had left Freddie gave Regina a rather loud tut and a shake of his head. 

_“Darling, it’s nice to know you’re good with your tongue but can you please start going back to her place every now and again?” _

Regina had said nothing but sent him a little smirk. And because she was a good friend, she had started to go back to hers every now and again. 

Linda was someone Regina had met when she first came to London, and she became someone who Regina regularly spent her nights with. They were plenty of other women she has been with since, but Linda was always a safe option. They had talked a few times about becoming something more but they both ended up laughing at the idea, deeming they would kill each other if they were girlfriends.

She assumed Brianna and John knew from the amount of times she spent flirting and touching women at pubs, and she knows they’ve seen her leave with countless women before. They had also met Linda numerous times and Regina saw the cheeky look they had exchanged with Freddie, as if looking for confirmation if this was the Linda, he had talked to them about. They never said anything bad and still treated her like they always did, so she assumed they were fine with it.

Regina had to be careful when wanting to take a woman home. It was a little easier ever since she moved to London. People were a lot more open and accepting, and she soon realised they were so many others like her. But still, it was a taboo and she had to be careful with the friends she kept around her. The fact that all three of them knew and didn’t even bat an eye made Regina feel warm in a way she would never admit. 

“Please, Regina,” He said with an eye roll “you’ve liked her since the day I met you two.”

Of course, she liked her, they were best friends. Brianna could be both so stubborn she would make Regina want to rip her hair out or so funny that she made her sides ache. She both challenged and excited her and that’s all she could ever ask for in a friend. 

But she could never like her like that. Brianna was so open with her, so giving with her affection. She cuddled with Regina whenever she wanted to, she talked openly about her issues with her relationships and sex life and they’ve gotten dressed in front of each other. Regina can’t let anyone think she takes advantage of their friendship like that, especially not Brianna.

So instead of answering she just shakes her head and takes another sip of her beer. “Where’s Deaky?”

“He’s over there,” Freddie nodded his head towards the corner of the bar, where John had his hips cocked, his hand gripping a cue “playing a game of pool.”

“You’re not playing?” Regina asks, and takes a peanut from the bowl on the table and puts it in her mouth.

Freddie gives her a look of disgust “Regina, that is so unsanitary.” He says with a shake of his head and Regina just sticks her tongue out at him “And no, I trust him enough to win the game.” 

“He is very good, even beat me at pool, that little shit.” She snickered and then rested her hands on her thighs, patting them. Regina did that for a few minutes before Freddie snapped at her.

“Why are you so fucking aggy tonight? Has it been a while?” He asked curiously “Why don’t you take a leaf out of Bri’s book and go talk to someone. That blonde has been giving you the eyes for the last 10 minutes.” 

Regina looks behind her to see a woman with blonde hair halfway down her back looking at her. When the woman realised Regina was looking back, she bit her lip before looking down. 

Regina turned back to Freddie “It’s only been a few days, besides she’s not really my type.”

“Woman is your type,” Freddie takes the beer from the table and gets up “Okay, I’m bored now, I’m going to talk to Deaky.” 

Freddie bends down and kisses Regina on the cheek before going towards the pool table. Regina looks back at the blonde, who is now talking to her friends around the table and then back at the bar, where Brianna who is now in deep conversation with the guy next to her.

Regina pretends to debate where she will go in her head before she gets up from the sofa, leaving her half-drunk pint on the table and making her way towards Brianna. 

Brianna wasn’t saying anything, looking down at her glass when Regina approached her from behind and snaked her arms around her waist. Brianna looked behind her, a little startled but she smiled when saw Regina smile at her over her shoulder.

“There you are, Reg,” she said gently and brought her long arms to go around Regina’s shoulder. Regina tucked into her side, her head falling against Brianna’s shoulders and she looked up at the man with a smug smile “Paul, this is my bandmate, Regina.”

“Nice to meet you.” Paul said and stuck his hand out and Regina reluctantly let one of her hands go from Brianna’s waist, shaking his hand and then settling back around Brianna. “What instrument do you play?”  
  


“Drums,” she says with a huge grin and looks up at Brianna, who is for still holding her close to her side “The superior instrument.”

“Hey!” Brianna said playfully and shoved Regina off her. Regina just smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked back at Paul who had his eyebrow raised.

“Isn’t that an aggressive instrument for a woman to play?” Paul asked casually.

Brianna’s eyes widened at that, “Uh oh.” She said and looked over at Regina, who’s nostrils were flaring in anger.

Regina made her way to stand in between Brianna and Paul, and asked with fury in her voice “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing,” Paul said with a smirk and then causally shrugged “Just didn’t know a small person like you can was capable of playing an instrument like the drums.”

Regina’s hand curled into a fist and she opened her mouth to spit an insult his way, but she stopped when she felt Brianna’s hands on her hips.

“Reg,” Brianna whispered and when she turned back, Brianna’s hazel eyes were wide with worry “please.”

Regina did nothing else but send a glare in Paul’s direction and stood closer to Brianna’s side.

“So, how long are you in Memphis?” Paul asked, as if he hadn’t just insulted on of Brianna’s bandmates and best friend,

He was looking Brianna up and down and he bit his bottom lip gently. Regina suddenly felt very uncomfortable and she was about to go and run to the pool table but when she moved Brianna was quick to grab her lower arm and keep her in place.

“We’re actually leaving tomorrow morning, right?” She looked at Regina, asking for her to stay and Regina realised she was uncomfortable around the guy and she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Yeah,” Regina said with a nod “Leaving around 7 so we can get there for midday, do a sound check.”

“I guess we should make the best of the time we have.”

_What? _Regina thought angrily _This guy is still making it obvious he wants to sleep with her while I’m right here. And she’s so clearly uncomfortable._

“Actually,” Regina says tightly “we have to be up pretty early, so we better get the guys and go back to our hotel, get a goodnight sleep.” She turns to Brianna and mumbles out a ‘c’mon’ before dragging her towards the bathroom. She doesn’t look at Paul or wait for a reply. Brianna goes willingly and soon they are in the bathroom alone.

Brianna goes in first and leans against the sink, letting out a sigh of relief bringing her hand up to her forehead, pushing the curls that fell there out of her way.

Regina went to stand in front of her and crossed her arms over her chest, giving her a shake of the head. “Bri, you need to stop letting your good nature get in the way of telling people to piss off.”

“I know, I know,” she says quietly and shakes her head at herself “I was enjoying it at first.”

“Yes, but then he started being rude,” Regina says and takes a step towards her “did he do anything else before I came? Did he say something gross? Want me to go kick his teeth in?”

Brianna chuckles at that “No,” she says and lets out a little sigh “I was into at first, he’s funny and attractive but then he started to look me like I was already naked and,” she shifted on her feet “and then when you came he insulted you like it was okay and was still making comments when you were right there and,” she looked up at Regina and gave her a shrug “I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.”

“Hey,” Regina said softly and took Brianna’s hand in hers, using her thumb to rub small circles “you don’t need to explain yourself, if you changed your mind, you changed your mind and he was being kinda gross.”

Brianna looked up at Regina through her lashes and gave her a genuine smile. Regina’s heart melted at the sight “Thanks Reg, I don’t know what I’d do without you here telling people to piss off.”

“Just doing my job,” Regina said with a smile “besides, you’ve been on one ever since we’ve been out here, what’s gotten into you?” She was being cheeky, she knew, but Brianna didn’t seem to mind when she gave her a little smile.

“Are you calling me a slag, Reg?” She asked, still holding Regina’s hand in hers.

“No, of course not, fuck all the guys you like. As long as you’re being careful.”

“Always.” Brianna said and Regina knew she was, she wasn’t an idiot. “Let’s find the others and get shitfaced.”

Brianna dragged Regina out of the bathroom with her hand and they ended up by the pool table where, John pulled them all into a group hug.

“Oof,” Regina said and patted his shoulder “Are you a bit drunk, Deaks?”

“Hmm?” He hummed happily, and when they let go, he looked at his bandmates for a bit, not doing anything but staring at them.

“Are you okay, dear?” Freddie asked gently and John nodded his head before screaming at all of them.

“We should dance!” He said happily and went to drag Freddie and Brianna with him, but Regina groaned loudly.

“No, Deaky, I don’t dance.”

“You’re a musician, how can you say that, my love?” Freddie asked but she still stood stationary as John made his own way to the dance floor.

“C’mon, Reg,” Brianna said with a small smile “I’m a terrible dancer but it could be fun?”

Freddie smirked at her when she took one look at Brianna’s smiling face and caved. She sent him a glare, but he pretended not to notice and started dancing with John. Brianna grabbed onto Regina’s arm and started dancing with her. They were away from the boys, and the dance floor had a few groups of people but not many.

Regina was in no way a good dancer, and neither was Brianna, but she was a very good drummer and after a few minutes she had found a good rhythm for them to follow. They were incredibly close together, and Regina tried to ignore her heartbeat getting faster when Brianna put her hands on her hips and pulled her even closer. Brianna leant down so her lips were just against Regina’s ears and she whispered “You’re not a half bad dancer, Reg.”

Brianna didn’t move any further away after that, keeping her hands on Regina’s hips and slowly moving their bodies together to the beat. The night passed on like that, they had ordered more drinks (and some tequila shots at John’s insistence) and danced in all their drunken glory. It was a good night, and Regina tried to ignore her stomach dropping every time Brianna grabbed for her when she wondered from her grasp.

It was around 3am when they stumbled back to their hotel room, and Brianna had collapsed on the bed closest to the door, letting out a little giggle.

“Shh,” Regina said, putting her finger to her lip but soon let out a laugh as well “You’ll wake up the neighbours.”

Brianna nodded her head slowly and placed her finger too her lip, but she laughed out an again and rolled onto her side.

“M’tired.” She mumbled and closed her eyes, but Regina poked at her shoulder making her wince “Ow.”

“Get dressed, first,” Regina insisted and almost tumbled when she took off her boots “if you’re not comfortable you’ll kill me in the morning.”

Brianna groaned but slowly got out of bed and when she stood up, she unbuttoned the rest of her white shirt and threw it on the floor, leaving her in her white lace bra. Regina looked up to find her standing there in nothing, but her bra and velour bell bottoms and she quickly looked down, her face burning bright.

If she had looked up, she would have seen Brianna smirking at her reaction.

“Reggieeeeee,” She dragged out and giggled a little “There’s no need to hide, we’ve gotten dressed in front of each other plenta times!”

“I know,” Regina said quietly “I just don’t wanna be rude, s’all.”

“Not rude, I trust you!” With that Brianna makes her way to the case on the other side of the room and gets out her pyjamas. She doesn’t put them on straight away however, and when Regina looks up Brianna is taking of her bell bottoms, leaving her long and smooth legs on full display. Again, she looks away.

She doesn’t understand why she feels wrong looking at her friend get undressed. Like Brianna said, they had gotten dressed in front of each other plenty of times and she didn’t feel wrong then. But this time was different, she felt like she was invading her trust and she couldn’t understand why.

It wasn’t until later, when they were both in their separate bed’s, and Regina couldn’t sleep that she realised what it was.

What she promised herself it wasn’t early tonight.

But she was wrong.

And maybe Freddie was right.

She had fallen for Brianna.

“Fuck me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couple of British things explained:  
\- 'aggy' is slang term for 'aggravated'  
\- 'slag' is another word for 'slut'  
\- 'sweat on' just means getting sweaty  
\- 'on one' means someone has been trying hard for something
> 
> Please leave feedback, I'd love to know what you think/predictions. 
> 
> Again, please feel free to come and talk to me on [tumblr!](https://untowardwrites.tumblr.com/) open to blurb and requests!


	2. you’ve broken my heart and now you leave me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a warning there is a slur in this chapter.

_ QUEEN II USA TOUR _

_ 21st April, 1974 _

_ Somewhere between Memphis and New Orleans _

Regina grabbed the juice carton that was sat in the fridge of the bus and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes shut. 

She tried to calm herself down, just like she had to do this morning. She had barley been able to sleep, so she eventually stopped trying and spent her time sorting through her thoughts. There was a lot of them. 

She came to the conclusion that Brianna looking particularly good last night and the alcohol was what made her think she liked Brianna. But she didn’t. It was just a little crush, a friend crush. She’s had plenty of those with girls at school. It would pass in time, it always did. 

But then Brianna had woken up with a groan when the wake up call came. Regina had picked it up and thanked reception, and her heart fluttered a little when Brianna tried to smile at her. Her eyes squinted because of the sun, and her curls were so messy they fell all over her face.

She always looked beautiful when she woke up in the morning.

_Stop it. _ Regina thinks as she squeezes the carton lightly.  _Just a friend crush. It will pass. _

Regina made her way to the main part of the tour bus, where Freddie and John were playing an intense game of scrabble. Brianna was laid on the sofa opposite them. She was wearing a stripped purple and red jumper that was far too small for her. It exposing her lower arms and a little bit of her upper chest. She was in black jean bell bottoms and a beaded necklace that she had wrapped around her neck a couple of times. She was also in Regina’s black aviator sunglasses, trying to hide her obvious hangover.

Regina willed her stomach to calm down at the sight of Brianna wearing her sunglasses and took the straw out of the plastic wrapping, piercing it through the carton and making her way over to Brianna.

There was no space for her to sit down, Brianna’s lanky body taking up the whole sofa. Freddie and John in the only two chairs that were around the table. 

So she approached Brianna, and perched on her thighs. Brianna let out a groan and brought the sunglasses so they were resting on her curly hair. 

“Comfortable there, Reg?” Brianna asked her, titling her head to the side. 

Regina just smiled, and adjusted herself on Brianna’s lap. “Very,” she smirked at her and then held up the juice carton “got you something.”

Brianna’s face broke into a grin and she sat up so the upper part of her body was pressed against Regina’s side. Her legs were still stretched out on the sofa, not being able to move them because of Regina.

“You’re a life saver,” she said and took a big sip through her straw. Regina bit her lip to stop herself from grinning but Brianna noticed and stopped drinking “um, want some?”

“I’m fine,” she laughed, and brought her hand so it was resting on the back of Brianna’s neck “how’re you like my glasses?”

“They’re very good at hiding my dark circles, but I think they look better on you than me.” She said and reached up adjust them slightly.

Regina just hummed and reached down to the pocket of her stripped blazer, getting out her Marlboros. She stuck one on her mouth and lit it up, blowing the smoke away from Brianna. “I don’t know, I think they suit you well.”

“You made fun of me the last time I wore them,” Brianna said with a raised eyebrows and then went back to drink her carton of juice. “Remember? You said ‘they are way too big for your face’ and then laughed?”

“No I didn’t.” Regina muttered, her face going slightly pink.

“You did, darling.” Freddie said and Regina looked at him with anger in her eyes. But he wasn’t even looking at her, still concentrated on the scrabble board “it was last week, in Denver, I think?”

He looked up and smirked at Regina who was sending him a death glare. Brianna looked up at her and smiled, resting her chin on her shoulder. Regina looked down at her and smiled, taking another puff of her cigarette. 

“I can change my mind, can’t I?” She says teasingly and Brianna let’s out a laugh and nods her head.

“You most certainly can,” Brianna grimaces when she feels the smoke coming in her direction and sighs “you know I hate it when smoke in doors.”

“You hate it when I smoke anyway.” Regina says with a play full eye roll, moving a bit backward so she was firmly on her lap instead of perching on it. Briana snaked her arms around her waist, holding her tightly.

Regina tried not to cheese too hard at that. 

“I do, c’mon biology graduate, you out of all people know how bad it is for you.” 

“I do,” she nods her head knowingly “and as a biology graduate, I know that lung tissue is regenerative meaning anytime I quit they will grow and blossom into a healthy set of lungs.” 

“So no time like the present!” Brianna says happily but Regina just shakes her head, and blows smoke straight into Brianna face, who coughs loudly “you bitch, get off my lap, now.”

Brianna goes to push her off, but Regina makes herself go heavy and soon Brianna is ticking her sides. 

“Stop,” Regina says though her laughs “imma pee myself!”

“Then get off!” Brianna says but she’s smiling and Regina grabs her wrists to try and pry Brianna off, but she’s too strong.

“For such a skinny woman, you sure are strong.” 

They continue like that for a few moments, ticking and laughing. But a voice cuts through their laughter.

“You guys wanna stop flirting and shut up?” John said and Regina tried not to panic too much at the comment, Brianna just shrugged her shoulders.

“Jealous, Deaky?” 

“Not even a little bit,” John said with a smile and the looked down at the board “We’re starting another round, you guys wanna join?”

“Yes, I’m down.” Regina said happily at the same time Brianna said.

“No.” 

“Why not, you love scrabble!”

“I don’t think my brain is in the right place for scrabble at the moment.”

“You’re being dramatic Bri, we all had the same amount to drink last night.” John said with a shake of his head and Brianna let out a small pout.

”Leave her alone,” Regina says and John raises his eyebrow at how nice she was being “if you’re not feeling it that’s fine, but at least help me?” 

Regina asked almost sweetly, and everyone was looking at her with confused expressions, but Brianna just nodded her head.

As the game went on, Regina ended up sat on the floor of the bus in front of Brianna. Brianna’s hand found they’re way into Regina’s hair early on in the game. Her long and slender fingers carding their way through her hair. Regina had closed her eyes in pleasure and soon she was playing with her head resting on Brianna’s knee.

“Your turn, Reg.” John had said after he put his tiles down. 

Regina had lifted her head off Brianna’s knee and looked at the board and then her tiles. During the game she would consult Brianna on her moves, but she smirked when she saw a word she could make and was quick to put the tiles down.

_Lesbian_

Freddie laughed when he read the word and John shook his head but there was a playful smile on his lips. Regina just let out a laugh until she felt Brianna’s finger still in her hair.

Regina looked up at her and nudged her knee a little, as if to tell her to carry on but when she saw Brianna’s face her her stomach dropped.

Brianna was looking at the scrabble board with an expression that almost seemed scared. She looked worried, and she didn’t say anything when Regina looked her way.

The game carried on, but the same easiness that was in the air before had disappeared and was replaced with tension and Regina didn’t understand why.Brianna stopped playing with her hair, and sat on the sofa with a stiffness in her that she didn’t have before. 

Regina tried to carry on the game as she did before, but Brianna’s reaction to the word made her head spin.  _Didn’t she know? No, of course she knew, you make it so obvious Regina. Then why did she have such a harsh reaction to the word? _

The game came to an end, John winning as he almost always did. Regina didn’t seem to care though, she would usually kick up a fuss and demand a rematch but the tension was so thick she just got up from her place on the floor and walked to the other sofa. 

She sat down and brought her knees to her chest, looking out of the window and to the passing cars. Regina took her journal from the table and a pen and started to scribble some things down, trying to distract herself from the situation. 

She could feel Brianna’s eyes on her and she let out a small sigh, trying to ignore them. Regina then saw from the corner of her eye Brianna stand up, and make her way over to where Regina was sitting. 

Brianna sat by her feet, and Regina didn’t look up until she heard her soft voice call out her name.

“Reg?” Brianna said, her voice small and questioning. Regina looked up at her and gave her a tight smile, encouraging her to go on. “Can I ask you a question?”

_Here we go. _

Regina thought nervously, but simply nodded her head. “Of course, Bri.”

Brianna bit her lip, a gesture Regina knew was a nervous tick. “How did you know you were,” Brianna coughed “you were,” she readjusted in her “um - “

“A dyke?” Regina said harshly, and regretted it a when she saw Brianna pale. She takes in a deep breath “Why do you want to know?”

Brianna shrugged. “You’re my best friend and we’ve never really talked about it, it’s a big part of who you are and - “

“Have I ever asked how you knew you were straight?” Regina asks and she doesn’t understand why she is being so aggressive about this but something inside of her is aggravated “No, because you’ve always known and no one has questioned it. Why should it be any different with me?”

Brianna doesn’t say anything, just meekly nods her head and is about to get up from her seat when Regina sighs and puts her hand on her wrist. 

“Wait,” she says and Brianna looks back at her “I’m sorry, you know how much of a hot head I can be.”

“You’re a drummer,” Brianna says back with a smile “it’s a part of your nature.”

Regina smiled and gently tugs her back to her seat. “You really want to know?”

“Only if you want to tell me,” Brianna says with a smile “I’m just curious, you can’t tell me to fuck off if you think I’m being too nosy.”

“No, I think it’d be nice to tell you.” 

And so she did.

Regina was 17 when she realised she wasn’t straight. 

Well, she had always  known she wasn’t as straight as she lead on. Spending half of your English class looking at Matilda’s long blonde hair and wondering if her lips felt as soft as they looked wasn’t really straight behaviour. 

However she chose to ignore it, pretend those thoughts didn’t exist. In a small town where everyone knew each other, word got round and she didn’t trust anyone enough to act on the feelings she had.

So she tried to keep up appearances, and when she was 16 she had gotten herself a boyfriend. Colin was smart and respectable. Went to church every Sunday, helped old ladies carry their groceries, went on litter picks on the beach. The typical boy next door and Regina had snatched him up with her good looks and charm.

He was a bit boring for her and a little pretentious. Turned his nose up when she mentioned she played the drums, didn’t like what she wore, how she acted but she didn’t say anything. She wanted too, God she wanted to put him in his place but she bit her tongue when she saw how happy her mum looked when he had picked her up for a date. 

_“I was starting to worry, Regina,” _ Winifred had said when Regina came home from the date  _ “I thought you’d never get yourself a boyfriend but you’ve only gotten yourself the best boy in town! ”  _

She had kept up the charade, and it didn’t seem so bad. He may have been boring, but he was nice, and attractive (at least that’s what everyone said). So after a few months, she had decided to sleep with him. 

They went for a walk on the beach one night. It was summer, the air was warm and the sky was clear. Nothing but the moon and starts reflecting on the ocean. 

They had kissed on the beach, they had gotten naked on the beach and they had slept together on the beach. Regina didn’t think much of it. It hurt like hell, it only lasted a few minutes and it didn’t feel good at all.She didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about and a week later they had both agreed it was time to move on with their lives.

Her mum was disappointed, but seemed more at ease with the knowledge that Regina was capable of getting a boyfriend. Her side glances and comments advising her on boys had stopped. 

She had met Strawberry a year later, and that’s when she decided that she was going to stop pretending to be someone she wasn’t.

Strawberry was Lucy’s cousin, her cousin from  _London_ and Lucy wanted to impress. She had gathered the ‘coolest’ people in Truro for a party and Regina had made the cut. 

Strawberry was beautiful, her red hair and brown eyes made Regina weak at the knees. They were together all night, smoking, talking, laughing together and as the night went on they got more drunk. Soon Strawberry had her hand on Regina’s lap, slowly and gently running it up her thigh.

When Regina looked at Strawberry, she had a smirk on her face, and rose her eyebrows as if to say _do you want this? _

Regina could do nothing but nod, desperate to feel Strawberry’s body on hers and soon they made their way to the guest room that Strawberry was staying in. 

Strawberry was only 19, a couple of years older than her but she knew what she was doing. Regina absolutely melted into her touch. She had sucked on her clit so hard she thought she was going to pass out from the pleasure.

_This_, she thought afterward s,  her head laying on Strawberry’s chest to catch her breathe, _this is sex._

Strawberry had visited Truro a few times in the following years, and every time they had ended up in bed together. Regina had learned a lot during the time she spent with Strawberry, and when she had moved to London for university she felt more comfortable in her skin than she ever had before. 

“... and with that new found confidence I could pick up girls as I pleased. So I’ve always kind of known, but tried to push it back. Strawberry just brought something out in me that I couldn’t ignore.” 

Brianna was quite during Regina’s speech, and when she was finished her face didn’t give away anything. She looked like she was in deep thought and then a frown was playing on her lips. 

Regina put her hand on her knee and Brianna looked up at her. “Hey, are you okay?”

Brianna just gave her a tight smile and then nodded “Yeah,” her voice was a little hoarse and Regina didn’t understand why “thank you for sharing that, Reg.”

“Of course,” Regina muttered “are you sure you’re okay?”

“So you’ve always known?” Brianna asked, “you’ve always known you like girls?”

“Yeah,” she said with a laugh “I was just always in denial until I thought ‘what for’ I mean, I can’t be open as I would like now but I find my ways. Like how you always known you’ve liked boy.”

Brianna doesn’t say anything after that, and soon she excuses herself to the toilet.

They don’t talk for the rest of the bus journey.

They don’t talk during sound check.

Regina keeps on look over at Brianna who is happily talking to John and Freddie and the roadies but seems to be avoiding Regina like the plague.

It isn’t until Regina is sat in front of a mirror in their dressing room, getting her hair ready for the show that she turns to John in a huff and asks.

“Did you know I was a lesbian?”

John raises his eyebrow at her and stops tuning his bass “Um, judging by the fact that you kissed a girl at a pub mere hours after meeting you and then processed to take her home, yes. Yes, I knew.”

“So, do you think Brianna knew?”

“Reg, we all knew,” John said softly and looked at her through the mirror. When he saw the sheer panic in her eyes he turned to actually look at her “What’s this all about, hm?”

“Brianna’s been avoiding me all day.” She said quietly “After that scrabble game she asked me how I knew I was a lesbian and after I explained it to her she kinda clammed up and she’s been avoiding me ever since and,” she took a deep breath and looked at John “I’ve been working under the assumption you all just knew, I never said anything but assumed I was obvious enough and you were all cool with but - “

“She knew, Reg,” John said softly “We’ve seen you pick up girls after gigs plenty of times, hell, we’ve all met Linda!” Regina laughed at that. “She doesn’t care, you’re her best friend, you’ve known each other the longest. Why would she start caring now?”

Regina shrugs her shoulders and swallows “I don’t know, but she’s been acting weird. She’s not been talking to me.”

“Maybe she’s feeling a bit sick or nervous. Maybe sleep on it and if tomorrow you think she’s still acting weird, ask her what’s up?”

Regina let out a sigh and the tucked a blonde hair behind her ears before nodding her head.

“Yeah, okay.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So why do we think Brianna is acting weird? Do you think it’s just Reg being dramatic or is there something to it? 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave your comments I love reading them!! And come and talk to me about Reg and Bri on my writing blog on tumblr @untowardwrites


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